The Valorant EMEA KICK//OFF tournament is just around the corner and promises to be a firework display of skill, team play and excitement! The best teams in the region will battle it out for coveted championship points and a place at the Masters Bangkok. Who will make the perfect start to the new season?
Today, on January 15, Valorant kicks off its first international league tournament of 2025, the so-called KICK//OFF event.
The Chinese division has already been competing since January 11 for championship points and qualification for the Masters in Bangkok. The EMEA league, on the other hand, starts today.
The EMEA group includes all European esports teams, as well as the best teams from the Middle East and Africa.
Which teams will dominate in the EMEA division this year, who will surprise as underdogs, and which personalities are behind the pro teams? You’ll find out in the following article:
The Top 6 Favorites:
Let’s first look at the top four teams of the top 6: FUT Esports, Team Vitality, Fnatic, and Team Heretics. These teams have directly qualified for the second round of the KICK//OFF tournament due to their participation in the 2024 Champions finals.
They are considered particularly strong because they didn’t reach this exceptional feat by chance.
To maintain clarity, we’ve divided the 12 EMEA teams into the Top 6 Favorites and the Top 6 Underdogs. This classification is based on the estimated prize money the teams have accumulated so far.
However, the results are still uncertain, and no underdog should be underestimated. In the international VCT-EMEA league, all pro teams compete on equal footing.
Don't understand the Valorant Champions Tour 2025 competition system yet? No problem! In this article we will explain all the tournament formats of the VCT 2025 and here you will also find all the dates and matches of the EMEA KICK//OFF 2025.
FUT Esports ($409,236)
Anyone interested in professional esports will be familiar with the Turkish team FUT Esports. FUT Esports has been involved in Valorant since 2020 and also impresses in games such as PUBG, Hearthstone, FIFA and Wildrift.
The German streamer Rax was part of the team for a long time, but left at the end of 2024 and is now only active on Twitch.
Ready for #VCTEMEA https://t.co/kyoDEXYYSp pic.twitter.com/7UXqAVTPWW
— FUT Esports (@FUTesportsgg) January 13, 2025
The all-Turkish team currently consists of:
- qRaxs / Doğukan Balaban
- MrFaliN / Furkan Yeğen / Captain
- ATA KAPTAN / Ata Tan
- yetujey / Eray Budak
- xeus / Yusuf Doğan Gözgen
Team Vitality ($205,876)
After joining Valorant in 2021, French Team Vitality have quickly established themselves in the top 12 of the EMEA division.
With coach Faded (Daniel Hwang), the mixed team is hoping to have a realistic chance of making it to Paris.
when you have school photos at 4pm but you got VCT EMEA at 9pm... pic.twitter.com/QEjsmH3Ruu
— Team Vitality Valorant (@TeamVitalityVAL) January 13, 2025
The team currently consists of:
- Kicks / Kimmie Laasner / Estonia
- Sayf / Saif Jibraeel / Schweden / Captain
- trexx / Nikita Cherednichenko / Russia
- Less / Felipe de Loyola Basso / Brazil
- Derke / Nikita Sirmitev / Finland
Fnatic ($1,318,026)
Founded in London in 2004, Fnatic is one of the most successful esports organisations in the world with over 200 championships in over 30 games.
For example, they went undefeated in the 2023 VCT-EMEA League for over 11 consecutive matches.
The team is active in titles such as League of Legends, Counter-Strike 2 and Valorant, and is one of the ten most valuable esports organisations in the world.
time to see who THE classic god in fnatic really is pic.twitter.com/sOg8IiGmbj
— FNATIC (@FNATIC) January 14, 2025
The team currently consists of:
- Boaster / Jake Howlett / UK / Captain
- Alfajer / Emir Ali Beder / Turkey
- Chronicle / Timofey Khromov / Russia
- kaajak / Kajetan Haremski / Poland
- crashies / Austin Roberts / U.S.
Team Heretics ($782,894)
Founded in Madrid in 2016, Team Heretics is a Spanish esports organisation active in games such as League of Legends, Valorant and Fortnite.
RedBull has been an advertising partner since 2022.
REVENGE TAKEN AND WE ARE IN CHAMPIONS PLAYOFFSWe beat @GenG in a very close game and are the first team to qualify to playoffs.#VamosHeretics pic.twitter.com/5D9Lw4JBLB
— Heretics Valorant (@HereticsVal) August 6, 2024
The team currently consists of:
- Boo / Ričardas Lukaševičius / Lithuania /Captain
- benjyfishy / Benjy David Fish / UK
- MiniBoo / Dominykas Lukaševičius / Lithuania
- RieNs / Enes Ecirli / Turkey
- Wo0t / Mert Alkan / Turkey
Team Liquid ($568,104)
Internationally renowned Team Liquid, founded in the Netherlands in 2000, is a fixture on the esports scene and has been active in Valorant since 2020.
The team recently made headlines when they defeated previously unbeaten Fnatic in the final of the EMEA VCT 2023, their first tournament win in over two years.
The team currently consists of:
- nAts / Ayaz Akhmetshin / Russia / Captain
- Keiko / Georgio Sanassy / UK
- kamo / Kamil Frąckowiak / Poland
- kamyk / Maksymilian Jan Rychlewski / Poland
- paTiTek / Patryk Fabrowski / Poland
Natus Vincere (Na'Vi) ($172,566)
The Ukrainian team Natus Vincere, also known as Na'Vi, is a giant in the esports world and has been active in Valorant since 2020.
With an experienced squad, they aim to win major tournaments. Natus Vincere means in Latin: born to win. An ambitious motto.
The team currently consists of:
The new roster is back at it again with another challenge, this time it's VALORANT Geoguesser Come watch our latest video, out now!: https://t.co/jF3oIcyQ1o pic.twitter.com/K5qadnvdHM
— NAVI Valorant (@NAVIValorant) January 14, 2025
- ANGE1 / Kyrylo Karasov / Ukraine / Captain
- Shao/ Andrei Kiprskii / vertritt kein Land
- hiro / Emirhan Kat / Netherlands
- koalanoob / GianFranco Potestio / Canada
- Ruxic / Uğur Güç / Turkey
The Top 6 Underdogs:
GIANTX ($26,179)
Founded in 2008, Spanish team GIANTX have quickly made a name for themselves on the EMEA Valorant scene.
Their aggressive style of play and tactical skills make them a force to be reckoned with. Despite this, the team is still relatively young, with only Cloud having played before 2024.
Manana 14:00H CET pic.twitter.com/HC1Yzmb7uV
— GIANTX (@GIANTXES) January 14, 2025
The team currently consists of:
- Cloud / Kirill Nehozhin / Russia /Captain
- purp0 / Semyon Borchev / Russia
- runneR / Semyon Borchev / North Macedonia
- tomaszy / Tomás Machado / Portugese
- westside / Miłosz Duda / Poland
Movistar KOI ($6,556)
Founded by popular personalities Ibai Llanos and Gerard Piqué, KOI has quickly become one of the most recognised teams in the EMEA region.
With a strong fan base and strategic support, KOI has big plans for the future.
In January 2024, OverActive Media KOI and Movistar Riders merged with MAD Lions, with Movistar KOI representing the Valorant Champions Tour EMEA and MAD Lions KOI representing the Game Changers division.
The team currently consists of:
- Sheydos / Bogdan Naumov / Russia / Captain
- GRUBINHO / Grzegorz Ryczko / Poland
- Filu / Dawid Czarnecki / Poland
- flyhu / Xavier Carlson / U.S.
- soulcas / Dom Sulcas / UK
Gentle Mates ($48,689)
French team Gentle Mates secured their place on the EMEA scene by winning Ascension 23. This team also includes the only German player in the entire EMEA VCT 2025 tournament, Click.
The team currently consists of:
- kAdavra / Thomas Johner / France
- Click / Haydem Ali / Germany
- Minny / Patrik Hušek / Czechia
- RobbieBk / Robbie Boerkamp / Netherlands / Captain
- Zyppan / Pontus Eek / Sweden
Apeks ($81,137)
Norwegian team Apeks surprised everyone by winning the Ascension 24 to earn their place in the EMEA league.
Happy Holidays pic.twitter.com/dCPXhvUZiD
— Apeks VALORANT (@ApeksValorant) December 24, 2024
The team currently consists of:
- AvovA / Auni Chahade / Denmark
- hype / Tautvydas Paldavicius / Lithuania
- MOLSI / Michał Łącki / Poland / Captain
- florescent / Ava Eugene / Canada
Karmine Corp ($37,516)
Founded in France in 2020, Karmine Corp has quickly become an up-and-coming team in the EMEA region.
The team currently consists of:
- marteen / Martin Pátek / Czechia
- avez / Hazem Khaled / Egypt
- Elite / Efe Teber / Turkey
- SUYGETSU / Dmitry Ilyushin / vertritt kein Land
- Saadhak / Matias Delipetro / Argentinia / Captain
BBL Esports ($136,764)
Founded in 2018, Turkish team BBL Esports has made a name for itself on the Valorant scene and is one of the most promising underdogs.
Selam ya https://t.co/JJpU6BXas6
— BBL (@BBL_esports) January 14, 2025
The team currently consists of:
- LêwN / Burak Alkan / Turkey
- Jamppi / Elias Olkkonen / Finland / Captain
- PROFEK / Dawid Święć / Poland
- sociablEE / Volkan Yönal / Turkey
- chiwa / Egor Stepanyuk / Russia
Who are you backing this year? Who do you like the most and who deserve to win the championship or even the title in Paris? Let us know in the comments!